Aaron's Picks of the Year: Top Seven of Oh Seven (part 1)

Over on the Comic Book Syndicate's facebook group, members were asked to come up with their "Top Seven Comics of 2007". Naturally, I rose to the challenge and produced a list with which I was fairly happy. So I figured what the hey, it's Leap Day, so why don't I do something different and update my blog?

So here they are, my Top Seven comics of the year, in reverse order.

7. Star Wars: Legacy #15

by Ostrander (w) and Duursema (a)

After Star Wars Episode III hit theatres, a lot of Star Wars fans (myself included) were depressed for two reasons.

1) It sucked.

2) It was the final Star Wars movie for a long, long, time... perhaps ever.

This wasn't to say that there would no longer be any new Star Wars stories. I had been, after all, a longtime fan of the Star Wars comics and, to a lesser degree, the novels. But these stories always felt like they were traipsing around the bigger events (the movies). Whereas the movies gave us universe-shattering events, entire planets getting demolished, and Jedis dying in the thousands, the comics would have to focus on the more... fringier characters, doing more fringier things. We'd be treated to such stories as "Watto builds a new podracer," "Mace Windu trains an eager new padawan," or "Baboon-Ass-Faced Alien and the Hidden Library."

Well, for those still worried that there will never be another Star Wars story that could match the epic scope of the movies, you need look no further than Star Wars: Legacy. While the idea of "Star Wars 100 years in the future" may stink of "Archie 3000," the series so far has been nothing short of adventurous, dark, funny, clever, and in the case of issue 15's Darth Krayt reveal, really fucking cool.

And, oh yeah, epic.


6. Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together

by O'Malley (w and a)

See my last post.


5. Sinestro Corps Special #1

by Johns (w) and Van Sciver (a)

As far as DC superheroes go, I'd have to say that Green Lantern has always struck me as one of the least interesting heroes, next to perhaps Superman. I don't really think that the characters are lame in themselves, just that maybe their corner of the DCU doesn't necessarily appeal to me. Of course, that's the great thing about DC and Marvel Comics: the sheer variety of their superheroes assures that while not every superhero will appeal to you, at least one will. So, while I can enjoy the latest adventures of heroes such as Batman, Animal Man, and Plastic Man (probably my top 3 DC characters), I can at the same time leave Green Lantern be in his little pocket of space.

So you can guess how good this book must be to make the top 5, considering how few shits I give about the character.

But then again, as little as I've cared about Green Lantern, I've always had a soft spot for Sinestro, who I've always considered to be his arch-nemesis (his Joker, if you will). He's always struck me as the Dick Dastardly of the DCU, so it's nice to see him really get his due in this issue. Let's not forget the completely jaw-dropping reveal of the identities of the Sinestro Corps Guardians.

At the end of the day, this book didn't really make me care about any of the Lanterns any more than I used to, but introduced a massive threat to the DCU that I hope remains in some capacity for years to come.

4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: #3

by Whedon (a) and Jeanty (a)

You know how I said the problem with most Star Wars comics is that they sort of have to tiptoe around the established continuity? Well Buffy has no such reservations. In fact, it's gone one step further and become the authoritative source of all things Buffy, killing off characters, bringing other characters back, etc. This series calls itself Season 8, and it certainly has acted as such. If anything, Buffy the comic is functioning even more effectively than Buffy the show can, in that the content suits the medium better than a reasonably budgeted television show ever could (compare the extravagant monsters in the comics to, say, the goofy CGI'd beasts of the show and you'll know what I'm talking about).

Prior to issue three, this just read like a solid series, and not much more. The reveal at the end of this issue, however, in addition to being perhaps my favourite moment of 2007, really solidified in my mind that this book functions not only as a supplement to the show, but as an integral force in its own right, and a must for any Buffy fan.


Next Up: picks 3 to 1